Earth moving equipment



Aug. 4, 1942.

G. I. CLARK EARTH MOVING EQUIIfMENT Filed Feb. 12, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR a; n m M o a n W A 5 w Y B Aug 4, 1942. G. l. CLARK EARTH MOVING EQUIPMENT Filed Feb. 12, 1940 4 Sheets-$heet"2 mvNToR Gera/a (/ark ATTORNEY Aug. 4, 1942. (5,1 CLARK 2,291,950

EARTH movme E UIPMENT Filed Feb. 12. 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 F lE -Q INVENTOR Gera/d C/ark ATTO R N EY Patented Aug. 4, i942.

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nan'rn MOVING murmur Gerald ll. Clark, Mountain View, Calif., assignor to Wooldridge Manufacturing Company, Sunnyvale, Calii'., a corporation of Nevada load to a point of discharge. More particularly,

the invention relates to earth moving equipment making use of both a main bowl structure and an auxiliary bowl or front apron, together with controlled operating means whereby one may take a load into both the main bowl structure and the front apron, and after carrying the load to a point of discharge, it may be discharged from both the front apron and the main bowl structure. In the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed herein, the main bowl structure is provided with a hinged bottom which is swung upwardly and forwardly for a load discharging operation.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved equipment of the above character, having novel means directly interconnecting the hinged bottom with the front apron. This means is characterized by the fact that for relatively small movements of the hinged bottom near its loading position, the front apron is moved between open and closed positions, with the extent of movement of thefipron being suficient for loading operations. Another object of th invention is to provide improved equipment of the above character which will afford a predetermined variable ratio of movement between the front apron and the discharge means for the main bowl.

Another object of the invention is to provide simplified frame and bowl structures for earth 5 moving equipment.

Additional objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, which sets forth the preferred embodiment thereof in detail in conjunction with the accompanying draw:

ings, in which: Y

Figur 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of earth moving apparatus embodying the instant invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar a Figure 1 but showing the parts as they are positioned after initial movement from the load carrying position shown inFigurel;

Figure 3 is a viewsimilar to Figures 1 and 2 view being taken in a plane indicated by the line 5-5 in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1, the apparatus chosen for illustration is of the type including a wheeled fram A carrying the main and auxiliary bowls B and C. The apparatus is of the type adapted to be drawn by a tractor which'is usually provided with a suitable power take-oi! to operate parts of the apparatus.

The bowl structure selected for illustration may compris reenforced side walls ll (Figs, 1 and 4) having rear extensions i2 which connect with an axle for the rear supporting wheels IS. The frame A is in the form of a yoke with the extensions of the yoke having pivotal connections it with the sides ii of the bowl. At the forward end of the main bowl structure there is a cross connecting beam or strut i6 serving as a mounting for the earth cutting or scraping blade ii.

As a part of the main bowl structure, and for carrying out a discharge operation, the bottom and rear walls of the bowl are formed as a movable member it, which has a hinged connection it with the cross strut it. It will be evident that when the hinged member i8 is swung upwardly and forwardly from the position shown in Figure 1, it effectively causes the discharge of the load from the main bowl structure over the cutting blade ill.

The auxiliary bowl structure C, or front apron, includes the side wall 2i and bottom load supporting wall 22. For supporting thi auxiliary bowl to enable it to move in a forward and vertical direction with respect to the cutting blade ii, it is rigidly attached to the side arms -23, which have pivotal connections 25 to th sides i i of the main bowl structure.

The main frame A has a suitable swivel connection (not shown) with the front axle 25 on which th front supporting wheels 26 are mounted. Attached tothe axle is a draft bar 21 for connection to the draft vehicle.

Various forms of motive means may be employed for raising and lowering the blade ii, for

raising and lowering the front apron C and for swinging upwardly and forwardly the hinged bottom i8 of the main bowl structure. In the present embodiment forces are applied to these but showing the parts as positioned for dischargparts by two cabl s 28 nd 9. Cable 28 is eming a load of earth from the bowl structure.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the rear end of the apparatus; and, 4 Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view thron ployed for raising and lowering the front end of the main bowl structure, and thereby to move the cutting blade ll between cutting and load carrying positions. Cable 29 is employed for a portion of th automatic control means, the simultaneous operation of the frontapron and sheave 33- on the main frame A from which it extends forwardly to the power take-off and control means of the tractor. It will be noted that if cable 28 is pulled to the left as viewed in Fi ure 1, the main bowl structure and the cutting blade II will be raised with respect to the main frame A, and if the cable is played out, that is moved to the right as viewed in Figure 1, the main bowl structure and the cutting blade I! thereof will be lowered from'the load carrying position shown in Figure 1 until the blade H can engage and cut earth for bowl filling operation.

The second operating cable 29 (Figs. 1 and 4) is trained over sheave 36, carried by mounting 31 on cross beam 38 of the main bowl structure and extends rearwardly and downwardly to be wrapped around sheave 39, carried by mounting 4| centrally disposed on the hinged bottom l8. From sheave 39 cable 29 extends forwardly and upwardly to be anchored to the mounting 31.

To provide for simultaneous operation of the front apron with the hinged bottom It of the main bowl structure, I .provide positive connecting mechanism including a cable 46 which is anchored to bracket 41 on theapron C and which extends upwardly and over sheave 49, also carried by mounting 31. From sheave 49, cable 46 extends rearwardly and over sheave 49 suitably mounted on rear cross beam of the main bowl structure and then downwardly to be anchored for loading operations without interfering with loading capacity of the main bowl.

ing position shown in Figure 3, the cable 53 is being unwrapped from cam rise 51b to the high concentric portion 51c of cam' track 51. At the same time cable 46 is wrapped about cam rise 7 54b of rapidly reducing radius and low concentric portion 54c, so that the effective ratio of movement between cables 53 and 46 is greatly reduced. As a result front apron C does not move a great distance for movement of hinged bottom B from the position shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 3. 4

Operation of the machine described above can be described as follows: Figure 1 shows the front apron closed with respect to the main bowl structure; If an operator desires to take a out while the machine is being traversed over a ground surface, the cable 29 is wound up by operating a winch drum located upon the tractor, and cable 29 is played out. Cable 29 is wound up only sufliciently far to open the front apron C to a proper position for taking on a load. Because of the action of the cam drum 53, the hinged bottom B need be moved only a fraction of its comat 52 to a cam drum 53, having a cam track 54 tom I8 the cam drum 53 has a second cam track' 51 about which the cable 58' is wrapped with one end anchored to thecam drum at 59 and the other end tothe hinged bottom l8 at 6|.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that upon winding up of cable 29 to cause upward and forward movement of the hinged bottom l3 about its pivot I9, cable 59 causes rotation of the drum 53 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1, so that cable 46 is wrapped around cam track 54 on the drum to pull cable 46 to the right as viewed in Figure l and thereby lift the apron C.

It will be noted that a very steep cam rise 51?) is provided from the low concentric portion 51a of the cam track 51 to the high concentric portion 510 thereof, and that initial unwinding movement of the cable 58 is from portion 51a of track 51 which corresponds to and acts simultaneously with high portion 540 of cam track 54. Thus,

rotation of cam drum 53 from the position shown in Figure l to that shown in Figure 2, results in wrapping a greater length of the cable 46 around track "54 for a given angle of movement than the length of cable 53 unwrapped from track 51. As a result during such initial movement the cable 46 is pulled farther and causes considerably more movement of the apron C, than the move ment of the hinged bottom l8 from the positions shown in Figure 1 to that shown in Figure 2. This initial disproportionate movement makes it plete movement betweenloading and discharge positions, in order to' elevate the apron-C sufllciently for taking on a load. As an example of actual practice, movement of the upper end of hinged bottom B through a distance from 5 to 8 inches, may move the front apron from say 20 to 25 inches away from the cutting blade l'l. initial angular movement of the hinged bottom B causes more than twice as much angular movement of the apron C. Playing out of cable .23 lowers the cutting blade 11 to a proper level depending upon the depth of cut which one wishes to take.

While the machine is taking on a load it may be desirable to vary the position of the front apron C, and this can be accomplished by manipulation of the cable 29. The material entering over the cutting edge l'l fills the main bowl structure and also the front apron. As the operatonapproaches a condition of maximum load, cable 29 is played out, thus permitting the apron C to move back to closed position as shown in Figure 1. Cable 23 is also wound up in order to elevate the main bowl structure and the cutting blade for carrying position.

When the machine has traversed to the location where it is desired to discharge the load,

the operator winds up cable 29, andduring initial movement of the hinged bottom B, apron-C is swung. upwardly and forwardly, whereby a considerable part of the load discharges over the cutting blade Il. Assuming that traversing movement of the machine continues, the height of blade I I can be adjusted in order to adjust drum can be made so that for a pull of about 7 inches on cable 58, from the position shown in possible to pr p y control the front apron C Figure 1 to that shown in Figure 2, cable 46 is Thus.

puliedatotal of aboutziinchess For thenext 20 inches of movement of cable II, cable (I can be moved 1'! inches. For the next 25 inches of cable SI, cable It can be moved 7 inches, and

for the last 25 inches of cable ll. cable 4! can stant rate for a discharge operation, it will be apparent that the hinged bottom B will be swung upwardly and forwardly at a substantially constant rate. However, the front apron C will initially have accelerated movement from the position shown in Figure l to that of Figure 2, while for the remainder of its movement, it will travel more slowly to the limiting pomtion shown in Figure 3.

I claim:

1. Inearth moving equipment of the character described, a wheeled frame. a main bowl structure carried by the frame and having an earth cutting blade movable in a vertical direction, said main bowl structure including a hinged bottom movableto discharge earth from said main bowl structure over said blade, an auxiliary load carrying bowl or apron carried in front of the main bowl structure and movable in a forward and vertical direction relative to the cutting blade, and operating means for moving said hinged bottom and said apron simultaneously, .said operating means including a cam drum having a pair of reversely arranged cam tracks thereon and respective cables attached to said cam drum and engaged with said cam tracks and attached respectively to said apron and said hinged bottom, the relation of said cam tracks providing a faster initial movement ofsaid apron than the initial movement of said hinged bottom during movement thereof from their loadr yins pofltions.

2. In earth moving equipment of the char acter described, a wheeled frame, a main bowl structure carried by the frame and having an earth cutting blade movable in a vertical direction, said main bowl structure including a hinged bottom 'movable to discharge earth from said main bowl structure over said blade, an auxiliary load carrying bowl or apron carried in front of the main bowl structure and movable in a forthelowportionofsaidonecamtrackinthe load carrying position of said apron, and an operating cable connected to said hinged bottom to effect lifting movement thereof and also of said apron, said cam tracks providing for initial lifting movement of said apron at a faster rate tblgan the initial lifting movement of said hinged 3. In earth moving equipment of the character described, a main bowl structure. including side walls and a forward earth cutting blade, extensions secured to the rear end of the bowl structure, around engaging wheels carried by the extensions, said main bowl structure including an expeller member movable from a lowermost load carrying positionto a forward discharge position to discharge earth from the main bowl structure over the blade, an auxiliary load carrying bowl or apron carried in front of the bowl structure and callable of angular movement in a forward and vertical direction relative to the cutting blade from lower closed to elevated loading and discharge positions, means for adjustablv supporting the forward portion of the main bowl structure, a rotatable cam element mounted upon said extensions behind the expeller membe: when the expeller member is in its rearmost position, a connection between the cam element andthe expeller member to cause rotation of the cam element when the expeller member is moved towards its discharge position, and a'connection between the cam ale-'- ment and the apron .to elevate the apron when ward and vertical direction relative to the cutting blade, a cam drum lournalled on a rearward portion of said main bowl structure and havingapairofreverselyarrangedcamtracks, a cable anchored at one end to said hinged bottom and at the other end .to said drum, said cable being cooperatively related with one of said cam tracks to be wrapped ther'earound. in the load carrying position of said hinged bottom with said cable extending fromthe low portion of said onetracktosaidhingedbottomasecond cable anchored at one mid of said drum and at its other end to said apron for cooperative engagement with the other of said cam tracks, said second cable being related to a Portion-of said othercamtrackhavingasreaterradius element carried by the frame,

the cam element is rotated by movement of the .expeller.

4. In earth moving equipment of the char-- acter described, a wheeled frame, a main bowl structure carried by the frame and having an earth cutting blade movable in a vertical direction, the main bowl structure including an expeller member movable from a rearmost load carrying position to a forward discharge position to discharge earth from the main bowl structure over the blade, an auxiliary load carrying bowl or apron carried in front of the bowl structure and capable of angular movement in a forward and vertical direction relative to the cutting blade between lower closed and elevated loading and e positions of the same,-a rotatable cam cables connecting both the expeller member and the apron to the cam element, said cam element and said cables forming a mechanical connection between the hinged bottom and the front apron for conjoint 1 and simultaneous movement of the same between loading, load carrying and discharge posithe cam element including reversely arranged cam surfaces engaged by the cables and formed to cause angular movement of the front apron to an elevated position to enable loading of the main bowl structure for movement of the expeller member from said load carrying position through a distance which is only a minor fraction of complete movement of, the same between said loading and said discharge positions.

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